Fifteen-year-old pleads not guilty to rape charges

He is being charged as an adult because of the severity of the alleged crimes, which include rape, forced oral copulation, and forced penetration with a foreign object. Each charge also carries enhancements for allegedly occurring in conjunction with acts of kidnapping and residential burglary.

SLO police also suspect Tinoco in a series of burglaries—six since August. Those charges will be prosecuted in juvenile court, however, because they don’t qualify under 2000’s voter-passed Proposition 21, which allows for minors 14 and older to be tried as adults when facing charges of murder and certain
sex crimes.

Tinoco’s defense attorney, Lindon Mackaoui, unsuccessfully argued that cameras shouldn’t be permitted in the courtroom because of the defendant’s age and corresponding media frenzy over the nature of the crimes. Estrada-Mullaney—a former juvenile court judge—shot back that because the public has a right to be present at the hearings, she didn’t believe media coverage would prejudice his case. She did, however, ban audio recording.

After Mackaoui’s request was denied, Tinoco, shackled and in a dark green jumpsuit, was brought into the courtroom. He turned his head away from the media and family members of the alleged rape victim.

Tinoco will continue to be held at the county Juvenile Services Center and is due back in court Oct. 4.